1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to land vehicles having a frame or chassis intended to carry containers of standardized dimension used in multi-mode transportation of freight. The invention particularly relates to such land vehicles having a thin gooseneck assembly in the chassis to permit containers of greater height with correspondingly greater cargo capacity to be carried.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of containers of standardized dimension in multi-mode transportation of freight is becoming increasingly common. The freight containers intended to be carried by the chassis of the present invention are generally constructed in certain standardized incremental lengths. The containers additionally are adapted for use on rail cars and particularly on board ship in a stacked arrangement as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,646,609. Such containers are constructed such that the total gross weight of the container is adapted to be supported by the tunnel area and by four steel castings generally located on the four outer most lower corners of the container.
A trailer chassis carrying such a container must therefore provide support for the tunnel area of the container and at the four support castings locations. The trailer chassis usually includes the conventional sort of container locks at the casting support locations. Since the gross weight of the container is carried by tunnel area as well as the four outer most corners of the chassis, this load supporting arrangement puts severe structural demands on the underlying chassis construction. To maximize the load carrying capacity of the chassis, it is desirable to make the chassis as light as possible thereby permitting a greater fraction of the total gross weight to be in the freight carried within the container. An increase in cargo capacity of the container can be achieved by maximizing its interior dimensions while maintaining the exterior dimensions of the container within specified limits. Containers of greater interior height with correspondingly increased cargo capacity can be achieved by diminishing the thickness of the floor of the container. The thinner floor is not compatible with the use of a standard gooseneck assembly in the chassis. Thus an object of the present invention is to construct a chassis which allows containers of greater height with correspondingly increased cargo capacity to be carried than would be achievable with a standard and conventional gooseneck.